Paper guide



Dem 5, 1944. A; w. METZNER PAPER GUIDE Fi led May 28, 1941 INVENTOR V7'NR i ATTQKNEY supply. being drawn into the machine.

Patented Dec. 5, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. mam p 1 AlbertwrMetzrfifflhio, assignor to i The Standard Register Company, Dayton,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application ;May 28, 1941, Serial No.395,631

, i 7 Claims. This invention pertains to writing and imprintingmachines, and more particularly to a paper guide for directingcontinuous series connected form stationery in its exit from themachine.

In conventional formsof tabulating machines, typewriters, billingmachines and the like; the continuous supply of "stationery enters atthe rear of the usual platen roll andafter passing beneath the platenand past the writing or im printing position,it is discharged in atangential direction rearwardly and upwardly in reverse direction abovethe incoming stationery supply strip.

If unsupported and undirected the outgoing stationery strip contactsandinterferes with the orderly and smooth flow of incoming stationery. Thepresent purpose is to control anddirect the inscribed outgoing materialthrougha path apart from the incoming stationery supply portion of thestrip. a

To this end it is contemplated that the inscribed portion of thestationery will be guided through an arch shaped path in elevatedrelation above the portion of the machine to the rear of the platen rolland imprinting position,

] and sufficiently separated from the path of the incomingrecjordmaterial to enable unrestricted movement thereof, and afford room for asupply packet over and beyond which the outgoing material is discharged.i

The object of theinvention is'to provide a and applied to existingwriting and imprinting ion. w e by one operator will be enabled toattenda battery of multiple machines.

A, further object of the invention is to provide stationery supportingandz guiding means having the advantageous structural features andinherent meritorious characteristics herein men- I tioned.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will morefullyappear in the specification, the invention intended to be protectedby Letters Patent consists of thefeatures of construction, the parts andcombinations thereof,: and the mode of operation, or their equivalents,as hereinafter described or i11ustrated in'the accompanying drawing.Inthedrawin wherein is shown theyp-re ferred, but obviously notnecessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is aperspective View of the upper portion ofa conventional tabulatingmachine to which the present invention has been applied.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionalview, somewhat H diagrammatic,illustrating the relation of the present stationery guide to the platenroll and imprinting position of the tabulating machine 3 and to thestationery supply, over and beyond which the inscribed record materialis. disstationery guide structure of simple construction and capable ofbeing economically manufactured machines, which will be" efficient inuse, a'utomatic in operation, uniform in its action, having relativelyfew parts and unlikely to get out of repair.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arch shaped guidechute which will maintain controlof the traveling record strip from thepoint where it leaves the imprinting or writing machineto a pointinstantly spaced there beyond and in bridging relation above thestationery A further object of the invention is to enable the inscribedlegends tobe readily observed for sufficient distance beyond theimprinting posi tion to enable the operator to ascertain that themachine is working correctly.

An important objectof the invention isto enable the continuous automaticoperation ofpower driven writing and imprinting machines without thenecessity of constant attendance or ob:

charged. i Like parts are indicated by similar charac ters of referencethroughout the several views;

For. illustrative purposes, but with no intent to unduly restrict theapplication or scopeoi the invention, it is shown in the drawing asapplied to a Bowers tabulator, of which I is the upper portion of themachine frame and 2. 1s a rotary platen run about which the recordmaterial 3 is advancedpast an imprinting position. In the operation ofthe machine, which is power driven and, the imprinting operation thereofis controlled by a succession of punched cards or by agperforated tape,the platen vroll. is intermittently actuated through successive partial.ro tations by feeding or line spacing mechanism 4. The area of therecord material 3,brought to imprinting position at the front of theplaten roll at each actuation thereof, is subjected. to imprintingpressure of series of type. bars 5 by which, successive legends,determined by the p'unchings of the control cards or tape, are

impressed on the, stationery strip.

The supply of continuous form. stationery is. drawn froma supply packet6, located on a sup; porting shelf I, to the rear of the platen roll 2.r The strip of material is drawnover a guide sur-. face 8 by thesuccessive partial rotation of the:

platen roll, and enters over an inclined paper guide 9 behind the platenroll. The stationery is shown in the drawing as provided withlongitudinallyspaced marginal holes H) for progressive engagement ofradial feeding pins l I carried by the platen roll 2. However, thepresent invention is in no way dependent upon the particular positivefeeding means illustrated, but is equally efficient in conjunction witha writing or imprinting machine of other types and with those equippedonly with frictional feeding means.

Such machines of whatever type are usually provided with a transversetear-off knife l2, disposed just above the imprinting or writingposition and above the platen roll.

After passing the imprinting position at which the record strip isimpressed with desiredilegen'ds or figures, the strip is discharged in atangential direction upwardly and rearwardly beneath the tear-off knife12. Unless supported and guided, the outgoing inscribed record materialwould fall upon and be pushed over the incoming supply portion of thestrip as it traverses the guide surface 8.

Arranged in elevated relation above the guide 8 and incoming recordmaterial drawn thereover, is an arch shaped bridge I3 supported at itsrear by uprights I4 and adjustably supported at its forward end by armsI5, fixedly attached to the guide bridge 13 and adjustably engaged withupright pivotal arms I6 mounted n the carriage of the machine.

As the inscribed portion of the continuous stationery strip advancesfrom the platen roll upwardly and rearwardly over the forward dependentapron ll of the guide bridge, it is exposed to view so that the operatormay easily observe a number of recent impressions thereon to ascertainthe operating condition of the machine.

While traversing this initial portion of the acter described possessingthe particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, butwhich obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions,detail construction and arrangement'ofparts without departing from theprinciple involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute, the invention has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificfeatures shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosedcomprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the inventioninto effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its formsor modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. A guide for a writing orimprinting apparatus wherein a continuous strip of record material isadvanced about a platen roll and past a record receiving position,comprising an upwardly and rearwardly inclined portion disposed insubstantially tangential relation with the platen roll and a pivotallyconnected rearwardly extending continuation thereof disposed in elevatedbridging relation with the supply of incoming record material, saidguide including a pair of oppositely extending retainer memberspivotally connected to the initial upwardly and rearwardly inclinedportion of the guide and disposed in overlying spaced relation therewithguide bridge, the record strip is restricted to its 7 I course parallelwith the apron I! by overlying guide strips or fingers 18 which arepivoted at 19 a guide chute22 through which the inscribed strip isadvanced by rotation of the platen roll.

This lid or cover 2| is also hinged at l9, coincident with the guidestrips or fingers i 8. By raising the lid 2| the direction of theleading end of the record strip over the guide I3 is facilitated, andthe strip is accessible for observance of the previously imprintedlegends or figures. However, when closed the lid 2| completes the guidechute and confines the strip to its prescribed path of travel over thebridge I3.

At its rear the guide bridge is deflected downwardly at 23 beyond thesupply packet shelf I which directs the rearwardly traveling stripdownwardly into any suitable receiver or into a collecting packet 24wherein the strip is automaticaly refolded upon its original fold lines.

The forward apron l1 and guide fingers 18 extend in approximatetangential relation with the platen roll into close proximity with thetransverse tear blade l2 and the imprinting position, and thus assumeimmediate control of the adbeneath which the inscribed portion of therecord material is advanced, and support means for said structure, theconstruction and arrangement being such that a portion of the underlyingrecord material is exposed to view through one of said retainer members.

2. A guide chute for a Writing or imprinting apparatus wherein acontinuous strip of record material is progressively advanced past arecord receiving position, including a hinged multisectional channelshaped guide member for outi going inscribed material supporting meansby which the guide member is disposed in elevated positition bridgingthe supply of incoming material, and ahinged multi-sectional retaineroverlying the initial section of the channel and confining the striptherein, the construction and of the strip through the tunnel may beobserved,

the construction and arrangement being such that the sections of thecover member may be pivoted about the hinge independently of theunderlying channel.

4. An attachment for a writing or imprinting apparatus wherein acontinuous strip of record material is advanced about a platen roll andpast a record receiving position, a sectional flexibly joined guidechannel for an outgoing inscribed portion of the strip supported inelevated bridging position over the supply of incoming material,supporting means accommodating the flexible guide channel in differentpositions of lineal deflection, a sectional flexibly joined guardoverlying a portion of the guide channel, the construction andarrangement being such that the channel portion with the overlying guardmay be adjusted as a unit into different position of lineal deflectionwhile permitting the independent adjustment of a portion of theoverlying therefrom in elevated bridging relation above the supply ofincoming record material, supporting means for said structure, and asectional hinged retainer overlying theinitial upwardly and rearwardlyinclined portion of the guide member confining the advancing portion ofthe strip thereto, the sections of said retainer being free for upwardswinging motion relative to the underlying guidemember, the constructionand arrangement being such that a portion of the underlying recordmaterial is exposed to view through one of said retainer sections.

6, The combination with a recording apparatus having a platen roll aboutwhicha con-:

tinuous strip of record material is progressively advanced, ofa guidetherefor overlying the recording apparatus-and conducting the strip awayfrom the platen roll, said guide being medially jointed for flexingmovement in aplane perpendicular to the plane. of the strip beingadvancedjthereover, supporting means for the structure, and a pair ofoppositely extending retainer members pivoted to the guide in ofisetrelation with the medialjoint of the guide for swinging motionindependently of the guide to-v ward and from the latter in a planeperpen dicular to the plane of the strip being advanced over the guide.

'7. The combination with a recording machine s having a platen rollabout which a continuous record strip is advanced past a recordingposition, of a guide therefor overlying the recording L apparatusincluding an upwardly and rearwardly inclined portion above the platenroll, and a continuing rearwardly extending portion over' which thestrip is progressively directed, at least a, portion of the guide beingmounted for vertical swinging motion relative to the recordingapparatus, supporting means for the guide, and. a pair of conjointlypivoted retainer members beneath t which the strip is advanced relativeto the guide,

one of said retainer members extending from its pivotal point downwardlyand forwardly relative to the recording apparatus and the other pivotedretainer member extending rearwardly from its pivotal point in spacedrelation with said guide.

ALBERT W. ME'I'ZNER.

